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BattleTech/Mechwarrior
BattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech (originally named BattleDroids) by Jordan Weisman and L. Ross Babcock III and has since grown to include numerous expansions to the original game, several computer and video games, a collectible card game, a series of more than 100 novels, an animated television series and more. The BattleTech universe A detailed timeline stretching from the late 20th century to the mid-32nd describes humanity's technological, social and political development and spread through space both in broad historical terms and through accounts of the lives of individuals who experienced and shaped that history.15 Individual people remain largely unchanged from those of modern times, due in part to stretches of protracted interplanetary warfare during which technological progress slowed or even reversed. Cultural, political and social conventions vary considerably between worlds, but feudalism is wide spread, with many states ruled by hereditary lords and other nobility, below which are numerous social classes. A key feature of the BattleTech universe is the absence of non-human intelligent life. Despite one or two isolated encounters in novels, mankind is the only sentient species, making the incessant warfare among humanity's feudal empires seem a more realistic and direct extension of the past and present. Above all, the central theme of BattleTech is conflict, something to be expected given the franchise's wargaming core. Interstellar and civil wars, planetary battles, factionalizationand infighting, as well as institutionalized combat in the shape of arena contests and duelling, form the grist of both novelized fiction and game backstories. History BattleTech's fictional history covers the approximately 1150 years from the end of the 20th century to the middle of the 32nd. Most works in the series are set during the early to middle decades of the 31st century, though a few publications concern earlier ages, including a technical readout describing 2750s-era technology.16 MechWarrior: Dark Ages and its related novels take place in the mid 3100s. Technology The level of technology evident in BattleTech is an unusual blend of the highly futuristic and the nearly modern. Radically advanced tech like faster-than-light interstellar travel and superluminal communication mix with seemingly anachronistic technologies as internal combustion engines, projectile weapons and artillery. Artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, androids, and many other staples of future fiction are generally absent or downplayed. Incessant warfare is generally blamed for the uneven advancement, the destruction of industry and institutes of learning over the centuries of warfare having resulted in the loss of much technology and knowledge. As rivalries and conflicts have dragged on, the most common advanced technologies - used to gain military advantage - are redeveloped for the battlefield. Because the BattleTech universe reached a pinnacle of scientific achievement before it collapsed in strife, there is an element of LosTech that is sometimes used as a tool in fiction and/or gameplay to add new dimensions to the storyline. LosTech represents designs and occasionally implementations of technological advances that were at some point achieved, but believed to have been lost over the ages. LosTech is frequently found in Star League-era caches, the locations of which have been forgotten or have been made inaccessible for various reasons. When designs and schematics are found, the most common source are old ComStar locations, as their organization held the majority of the most powerful and best-maintained computer systems. Political entities BattleTech's universe is governed by numerous interstellar human governments that vie for supremacy. Described below are the major areas into which these factions fall. Terra Terra is the homeworld of mankind (no longer commonly called Earth, although this name is very occasionally used) and former capital of the Star League. Many planets around Terra were rendered uninhabitable during the first two Succession Wars, and surviving planets suffer from the damage even centuries later. Several dozen of these worlds, in what came to be known as the Chaos March, briefly gained their independence between 3057 and 3081. Historically, whichever faction controlled Terra has held more political power than any single Great House. Several groups have held Terra, including the Terran Alliance, Terran Hegemony, ComStar, Word of Blake, and Republic of the Sphere; most of these nations fought bitter struggles upon Terra, scarring the world. The Inner Sphere The Inner Sphere, heart of the BattleTech Universe, contains all worlds within 500 light-years of Terra. It is dominated by five "Great Houses": House Davion, House Liao, House Marik, House Steiner and House Kurita. (The term "Inner Sphere" sometimes refers to these houses collectively). The leader of each Great House claims to be the rightful successor to the rule of the Star League, and so their nations are known as the Successor States. There are few other significant nations in thee Inner Sphere. The St. Ives Compact was a short-lived state that broke away from the Capellan Confederation after the Fourth Succession War, and was reabsorbed following a brief war in 3062. The Free Rasalhague Republic was created in 3034 by a deal between the Draconis Combine and the Lyran Commonwealth. It rivaled the Capellan Confederation for size, but by 3052 it had been almost entirely conquered by the Clans; in the 3070s, much of it was incorporated into the Ghost Bear Dominion (which is known as the Rasalhague Dominion by 3130). The Periphery The space surrounding the Inner Sphere contains a number of independent nations, known collectively as the Periphery. The largest of these nations (the Outworlds Alliance, Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus, and Rim Worlds Republic) predate the Star League and rival the Successor States themselves in size, but are inferior economically and militarily. More moderately sized nations, such as the Marian Hegemony or Bandit Kingdoms, also lie near the Inner Sphere. The Periphery contains countless other independent nations, many consisting of a single star system each and rarely playing a significant role in Inner Sphere politics. The mostly uncharted space beyond the nearby Periphery states is known as the Deep Periphery and contains numerous pirate havens and lost Star League colonies. The Clans During the Fall of the aforementioned Star League, the Star League Defense Force exiled itself and eventually settled in the Deep Periphery. They reformed into the Clans, a warrior-centric caste society relying on genetic manipulation and artificial birth. The four strongest of these Clans returned to the Inner Sphere as would-be conquerors in 3049, were reinforced by three more Clans a year later, and were joined in the late 3060s by another two. Of the original twenty Clans, by 3067 three were absorbed, two were annihilated, two fragmented, two defected, and one was abjured. The Clan Occupation Zones together occupy a region roughly equivalent to one of the Successor States. Mercenaries The Inner Sphere is home to many private military companies. Some of them are quite powerful, and their actions have influenced the history of the known universe. Among the most famous mercenary groups are the Wolf's Dragoons, Eridani Light Horse, Kell Hounds, Northwind Highlanders, Gray Death Legion, and McCarron's Armored Cavalry. 2750 Vehicles * Gabriel * Beagle * Rotunda * Lightning * Zephyr * Kanga * Chaparral * Thor Armored Fighting Vehicle * Demon Fighting Vehicle * Marksman Sniper Artillery Peice * Magi * Burke * Fury * Rhino * Puma Battle'Mechs' * MCY-99 Mercury * THE-N Thorn * MON-66 Mongoose * HER-1S Hermes * HSR 200-D Hussar * STN-3L Sentinel * WVE-5N Wyvern * CRB-27 Crab * KTO-19 Kintaro * CHP-1N Champion * LNC 25-01 Lancelot * EXT-4D Exterminator * BMB-12D Bombardier * GLT-3N Guillotine * FLS-8K Flashman * BL6-KNT Black Knight * THG-11E Thug * CRK 500-1 Crockett * HGN-732 Highlander * KGC-000 King Crab Aircraft * Ripper * Nightshade * Cyrano * TRN-3T Trident * SWF-606 Swift * SPD-502 Spad * ZRO-114 Zero * RGU-133E Rogue * THK-63 Tomahawk * HCT-213B Hellcat II * GTHA-500 Gotha * IRN-SD1 Ironsides * HMR-HD Hammerhead * RPR-100 Rapier * AHB-443 Ahab Spacecraft * Bug-Eye * Vincent * Essex * Lola * Aegis * Congress * Black Lion * Sovietskii Soyuz * Cameron * Potemkin * Texas * McKenna * Confederate * Titan 3025 Vehicles * Swift Wind Scout Car * PKR-T5 Packrat Long Range Patrol Vehicle * GAL-100 Galleon Light Tank * Rommel/Patton Tank * VNL-K65N Von Lunkner Heavy Tank * LT-MOB-25 Mobile Long Artillery * Mobile Headquarters * Coolant Trucks (Class 135-K Kurita Model) * J-27 Ordance Transport * Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals Mechs Light * LCT-1V Locust * WSP-1A Wasp * STG-3R Stinger * COM-2D Commando * JVN-10N Javelin * SDR-5V Spider * UM-R60 UrbanMech * VLK-QA Valkyrie * FS9-H Firestarter * JR7-D Jenner * OTT-7J Ostcout * PNT-9R Panther Medium * ASN-21 Assassin * CDA-2A Cicada * CLNT-2-3T Clint * HER-2S Hermes II * VL 2T Vulcan * WTH-1 Whiteworth * BJ-1 Blackjack * HCT-3F Hatchetman * PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk * VND-1R Vindictor * CN9-A Centurion * ENF-4R Enforcer * HBK-4G Hunchback * TBT-5N Trebuchet * DV-6M Dervish * GRF-1N Griffen * SHD-2H Shadow Hawk * SCP-1N Scorpion * WVR-6R Wolverine Heavy * DRG-1N Dragon * OSR-2C Ostroc * OLT-4D Ostosol * QKD-4G Quickdraw * RFL-3N Rifleman * CPLT-C1 Catapult * CRD-3R Crusader * JM6-S JagerMech * TDR-5S Thunderbolt * ARC-2R Archer * GHR-5H Grasshopper * WHM-6R WarHammer * MAD-3R Marauder * ON1-K1 Orion Assault * AWS-8Q Awesome * CGR-1A1 Charger * GOL-1H Goliath * VTR 9B Victor * ZEU-6S Zeus * BLR-1G BattleMaster * STK-3F Stalker * CP 10-Z Cyclops * BNC-3E Banshee * AS7-D Atlas Land-Air Mechs * STG-A5 Stinger LAM * WSP-105 Wasp LAM * PHX-Phoenix Hawk LAM Aircraft * Boomerang Spotter Plane Aerospace * SPR-H5 SparrowHawk * CSR-V12 Corsair * STU-K5 Stuka * SL-21 Sholagar * SL-17 Shilone * Sl-15 Slayer * TR-7 Thrush * TR-10 Transit * TR-13 Transgressor * F-10 Cheetah * F-90 Stingray * F-100 Riever * SYD-21 Seydlitz * LCF-R15 Lucufer * CHP-W5 Chippewa Dropships * Leopard Class Dropship * Union Class Dropship * Overlord Class Dropship 3055 Mechs Light * ALM-7D Fireball * DRT-3S Dart * ZPH-1A Tarantula * BH-K305 Battle Hawk * HMR-3M Hammer * HM-1 Hitman * JA-KL-1532 Jackal * SCB-9A Scarabus * BZK-F3 Hollander * SDR-9K Venom Medium * DMO-1K Daimyo * WTC-4M Watchman * KIM-2 Komodo * SNK-1V Snake * STH-1D Stealth * HUR-W0-R4L Huron Warrior * NGS-4S Nightsky * APL-1M Apollo * GRM-R-PR29 Grim Reaper * TR1 Wraith Heavy * ANV-3M Anvil * TMP-3M Tempest * DAI-01 Daikyu * GAL-1GLS Gallowglas * HRC-LS-9000 Hercules * THR-1L Thunder * BNDR-01A Bandersnatch * FLC-8R Falconer * PTR-4D Penetrator * MDG-1A Rakshasa * WR-DG-02FC War Dog Assault * PDR-5S Salamander * GUN-1ERD Gunslinger * ALB-3U Albatross * MR-V2 Cerberus * NG-C3A Naginata * BRZ-A3 Berserker * T-IT-N10M Grand Titan Inner Sphere Refits * Locust IIC * Phoenix Hawk IIC * Griffin IIC * Shadow Hawk IIC * Rifleman IIC * Jenner IIC * Warhammer IIC * Marauder IIC Second-Line Mechs * Baboon * Vixen * Peregrine * Hellhound * Goshawk * Galahad * Viper * Behemoth * Kraken OmniMechs * Phantom * Pouncer * Linebacker * Naga Aerospace * Vandal * Bashkir * Avar * Batu * Sulla * Turk * Visigoth * Jagatai * Sabutai * Jengiz * Scytha * Kirghiz